The waters retreated more than a month ago, but so much destruction remains. Wrecked trails, mouldering homes, flattened vegetation, scattered debris. The clean-up continues, and undoubtedly will keep people busy well into 2014.

Boulder was one of the hardest-hit towns; drive around town today, keep your eyes open, and you can’t miss evidence of the flood.

Illegal Pete’s got its start in Boulder in 1995 and runs a couple of always-crowded restaurants in the town. The chain of Mexican joints clearly cares about the People’s Republic – it is giving free burritos to everybody who shows up in the lot behind the Target, at 2800 Pearl St., who is willing to invest sweat and callous-building for flood clean-up. Check in between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., work until 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., feel good about your toil, and scarf down a burrito bomb.

In addition, Boulder brewery Upslope is donating free drink coupons to volunteers, redeemable in their North Boulder tasting room.

We know he likes beer and ice cream (good taste, Guv). And now he talks-up Chipotle, too. (Kathryn Scott Osler)

Chipotle turned 20 this year, and the land of the brick-hefted burrito has been celebrating. Among other things, the Denver company is getting people, like Willie Nelson, to mark the milestone with videotaped happy birthday videos.

Unsurprisingly, our Restaurateur-Brewer-Entrepreneur governor appreciates all that Chipotle has accomplished in two decades – it takes a lot of hard work, creativity, drive, chutzpah and chance-taking to turn a small burrito shop in South Denver to an international chain of more than 1,450 restaurants. Meanwhile, Chipotle isn’t just growing its business on the cheap; among other things, the company has toiled to find ways to incorporate more sustainable, local farming into its mission, as well as the humane treatment of animals. Chipotle has a long way to go on these fronts, but for those who care about these difficult issues, the company’s efforts should be noted, if not trumpeted.

The always-busy kitchen at Avenue Grill in Denver offers a new lunch deal for bar patrons.

Denver’s popular Avenue Grill is offering a new lunch special for bar patrons: a burrito and a beer for $6. Urp.

Dubbed the “chicken bar-rito,” the dish features chicken that’s slow-roasted in red chile adobado, paired with house-made refries and wrapped in a flour tortilla. It’s topped with grated cheddar, blanco verde chili (regulars will recognize the sauce from the weekend brunch), plus lettuce and tomato.

And you get an 8-ounce draft of beer — anything they have on tap, excluding Yeti.

“This is a promo for our lunch business,” says Dan Allen, the Avenue’s assistant general manager. “I’m not sure how many months it will go, but we might be rotating some other dishes into the deal as time goes on.”

The offer is good weekdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Come Fridays, it sounds like a nice way to get an early jump on the weekend. The Avenue Grill is located at 630 E. 17th Ave. between Pearl and Washington streets.

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